My Grandma

On December 4th my sweet grandmother passed away.  It's bittersweet to be blessed to have your grandmother in your life so long- I am so lucky to have had her for 33 years but it makes it just that much harder to lose her since I have so many memories.  I remember being at her house on the island often as a young child.  I remember flying to Florida when I was 6 by myself to see her (that would never happen now) and how she made me go to daily Mass every day :)  I remember the numerous trips to Disney World she accompanied us on even though she didn't like the rides...  I remember how proud she was at my First Communion and how every time I talked to her as an adult she asked about church to make sure I was going.  I remember how she wouldn't go out to eat at a place that didn't have a tablecloth and how she never cut me a break as a teenager- always telling me my skirt was too short or I was wearing too much makeup.  I remember looking at all her pictures from her trips around the world and how I couldn't wait to do that one day.  I remember how she used to talk about her Bottle Club and how I honestly thought for years that they collected bottle caps like Bert and Ernie and didn't realize it was a drinking group.  I remember how she always had the tv on to either a sports program or a mystery show like Murder She Wrote.  I remember how she took my siblings and me on a trip to a hotel when I was in grade school and she accidentally put on my glasses as her own and thought she was having a stroke since she couldn't see and dropped to the floor praying before I asked her why she was wearing my glasses.  I remember how she used to give all her grandkids a book and $5 for Christmas.  I remember how excited she was when I married Jack because "now I would be Irish" nevermind she, my own grandmother, had a maiden name of O'Donnell.  I remember how much she loved her family and how much they loved her.
I wish I could replicate the love that was in the church the day of her funeral.  It was an honor to be part of her large family and a beautiful expression of her Catholic faith.  We all offered the sign of the cross on her forehead as was done at her baptism 85 years ago.  She lived her life faithful to Jesus and since she was baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ, she will rise with him.  Her grandchildren and children guided her body into the Mass, we all actively participated in the service and then guided her out (after her children serenaded her with "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling.")
Thanks for the memories...